Balancing ecotourism and wildlife management through a conservation behavior approach
Abstract Ecotourism promises to reconcile wildlife conservation and human development if negative impacts of human visitation and associated infrastructure can be minimized. Animal behavior studies can be used to identify individual and population responses to anthropogenic impacts before other fitness consequences are documented. With input from professionals in animal behavior and ecotourism, we identified key questions needed to better understand the impact of ecotourism on wildlife. Activity budgets, foraging, movement, stress, habituation, and reproduction were themes that emerged from our survey. We highlight promising research on these themes and identify remaining behavioral research questions about conserving wildlife in the context of ecotourism. Although ecotourism activities often have detrimental effects on animal behavior, we highlight research needs that can inform management and ecotourist education to improve human behavior to be more compatible with sustainable use of nature.
Authors
- Josue David Arteaga‐Torres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5025-6109)
- Debra A. Hamilton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7338-1877)
- Rachel Y. Chock (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3954-5959)
- Jennifer L. Verdolin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4364-7715)
- Gabriela Medeiros de Pinho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4671-8221)
- Claudio M. Monteza‐Moreno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2537-2065)
- Javier Rodríguez‐Fonseca
- Luis Sandoval (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0793-6747)
- Barbara Clucas
- A. Allison
- Liv Baker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2680-3114)
- Brett Seymoure (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3596-1832)
- Bernard M. Kitheka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9442-5736)
- Bruce A. Schulte (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3040-9707)
- Jimmy W. Wehsener (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2025-1010)
- J. Edgardo Arévalo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4160-8373)
- Daniel T. Blumstein (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5793-9244)
- Jessica Stamn
- Cassandra M.V. Nuñez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6702-0730)
- Lynn Von Hagen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6991-6418)
- Richard Buchholz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3336-2676)
- Eduardo Bessa
- Laney H. Nute
Institutions
- New Mexico State University (US)
- University of Vermont (US)
- Missouri State University (US)
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (PA)
- Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza Catie (CR)
- University of Vienna (AT)
- North Carolina State University (US)
- University of Arizona (US)
- California Polytechnic State University (US)
- Universidade de Brasília (BR)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research (AT)
- The University of Texas at El Paso (US)
- Universidade Federal de São Carlos (BR)
- Cal Poly Humboldt (US)
- Universidad de Costa Rica (CR)
- University of Mississippi (US)
- Hunter College (US)
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (DE)
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research (US)
- Auburn University (US)
- University of Memphis (US)
- California State Polytechnic University (US)
- Mississippi State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Conservation Science and Practice
- Published
- 2025-02-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13306
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.58
Funders
- Animal Behavior Society
- Office of Global Engagement, Drexel University